It seems hard to fathom, but western settlement nearly wiped out the nation’s bison herd — some 30 to 60 million animals. That herd stretched from Minnesota’s grasslands to the Rocky Mountains. But over the years, hard work has brought the bison back.

Ever driven by something that made you do a double-take? It’s happened many times to people traveling through Chisago County, as they come to the intersection of Highway 8 and Highway 95 in Franconia Township.

It has long been understood that the best way to see Minnesota’s northern treasure of lakes and woods is by canoe. But now, Gunflint Lodge, in extreme northeastern Minnesota, is offering another nice vantage point, from the air.